01-05-2017, 03:32 PM
Coal and soot cluttered around every nook and corner of his being, while rebellion consumed his mind. The serpentine whispered her temptation, cackling at the human’s frivolously tedious whim.
Oh? You’re going back home? What a good idea, I can’t wait to meet your family, those you hold near and dear, the juicy taste of your heartbreak when you watch through your own eyes as you kill them will just be so... De-lec-table...
Gildarts was not unnerved by this creature’s feeble threats, he’d had his share of fear his entire life, and yes, most of it was of himself. If anyone was strong enough to combat the sweet sickness of doubt and temptation, it was this mage.
What’s the matter? Still not talking? It’s awfully lonely up in this head of yours, and so very dull, empty rattling, that’s what you hear in here, and the echo of my voice, now, if you’d just fill it with a little thought, I could be entertained and grab some popcorn...
Ears poked out from Gildarts’ shoulder and perched upon his cape, she looked dusty, and no matter how much licking, the kitten couldn’t manage to get the smoky smudges from her pelt. “Gildarts, where are we going?”
Ah, a much needed distraction, you’ll need it too, I don’t have a mouth but I can surely pretend to make the sound you’ll hear of the cracking of this being’s little ne-
“We’re going to the Tangled Green, past Ambrosia, Princess Guu is in need of some help,” the Fairytail wizard’s gruff voice pronounced.
“Curt, as always, you know, you could live a little, and speak a little? Annd you must be telepathic, or you figured out how to email people, as if by some miracle,” the exceed pouted and looked around as they left the drab climate behind them, “At least we’re getting out of here, this is... One strange place we’ve ended up. We’re so far from home, I wake up in a desert, follow you to this giant forest, and then almost get eaten by a volcano dragon! GODS! It’s simply exhausting.”
Yess, do share those secrets that the mage has hidden and bottled up, key and lock. You know, Crash Magic Mage, I’m not so bad. I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot, I think you think all I want is death, but as I have said before, there’s something even better, so rich and fulfilling. Power. Death just happens to be a... Slight consequence. Death isn’t permanent you know, it is only a state of mind. Some people even choose to-
A simple flex of his eyebrow conveyed the Prime’s annoyance, yet, the malefactor sprang with glee, Ah, I knew i was getting through to you, see, we’ll get rid of the runt, and then we’ll-
He cleared his throat, “After spending so much time there, I’m very thirsty, all that smoke and ash, speaking of which,” he extended his organic hand and polished off a little soot from the cat’s ear, “You missed a spot.”
The exceed purred with delight, and smirked, “I’d help you, but you’re pretty much covered, your hair is even black, which looks kinnnnd of weird on you.”
Gildarts blinked, and then burst out in laughter, his back fell free in order to receive more air, and the joy bubbled up in his stomach and rolled off his tongue. It was a well-needed laugh, that lightened the mood, even while a dear friend could be in peril; the last thing on Gildarts’ mind was whether or not his hair looked good. It seemed to keep his demon at bay, for now.
The entrance to the wondrous forest was as grand as always, a single footstep bringing the mage one step closer to helping his guild’s leader, and suddenly, he was immersed in dense emerald green. The scent was thick and full of all sorts of lush life, pine lingered in one nostril and out the other, causing Gildarts’ noise to twitch and shiver.
“Oh boy,” she squeaked, “You aren’t going to sneeze, are you? I swear! Every time you come to this verse you-”
A loud, clamorous burst of air shook through the forest, silencing most creatures to a fearful look over their shoulder, all around that they could see, while birds and flying animals flocked to the skies, alerted and shaken by this surprised, unnatural occurrence.
“YIKES!” Piqui purred, “You should settle down and be a lumberjack, cause you’ll take down this whole forest with another one of those!”
The Prime sniffled and wiggled his nose once more, “Maybe it was the soot?”
“Doubt it, you’ve been covered in that for a couple of days, don’t you ever shower?” Piqui blinked, “Or do Primes not have to?”
Gildarts shrugged and raised an eyebrow, “I can’t take the time to shower if Guu is in a fight for her life, certain priorities must be upheld for the sake of comradeship.”
Yes, those priorities, go on, share.. The Malefactor reminded him it was still listening with the eerie slurp of her tongue, And while your at it, tell me, of what do you fear most? The death of your friends, or to become their murderer?
Gildarts refrained from cringing, but allowed himself a single gulp. His brown eyes showed no digression, nor hinted at weakness, yet behind the mask, the serpent continued to coil curiously around the subtle pings about his mind as a psychologist might find the deeply embedded quirks that assert to one’s developed habits and behavior.
Cute. the voice said with satisfaction, and let him be.
Piqui had been speaking for a long three minutes, on how a good shower had never hurt anyone, but had marveled in the fact that Gildarts’ legs kept moving so very sternly, over the lightly treaded path that wove throughout the woodlands.
“-And then, when you get wet, the water helps wash away the dirt! Especially with you humans, you don’t have such purrfect tongues as ours, which help us comb through our fur rather than wash a smooth surface like your nonexistent fur, better known as baldness.” It seemed she had concluded, or paused to catch her breath, and Gildarts gleaned away from her, slowing his stride.
“What? What is it?!” Piqui’s eyes darted around the forest, looking for the dark shadows within the corners, but seeking the truth only to make the doubts free.
Gildarts emanated silence, and it spread to her, and seemed to cast itself, spreading throughout the forest. The lull remained. The source of his alarm remain unearthed. Air seemed tight. Their lungs, tighter.
Hesitation, trepidation, came with no emancipation, creeping from the furthest points in the forest, with no source of origin, yet now, shadows as though cast by midnight, surrounded them. Gildarts let his eyes adjust, while Piqui shivered on his shoulder. The one thing the Prime had going for him, was his own camouflage, for he was covered in his own kind of black disguise.
A voice boomed, from overhead, echoing about the trees and rattling nearly every quivering leaf, “Who goes there?”
Piqui gulped, Gildarts didn’t hesitate, his lips parted, ready for a stern reply, until interrupted by the omnipresent voice again, “Just because I can’t see you, doesn’t mean I can’t smell you. There are two of you, one much taller than the other, yet both equal, despite a significance in age. You are a well known mage, and she, a little kitten who may as well be a stray. And a last being, one so evil it cannot form a shape, haunts you as a phantom in your mind. One, a mortal, the other, immortal, and the last, is something different altogether. Each of you have chosen the wrong path, for your goal is the Bog. Each of you are welcome in my kingdom, to take the shortest of cuts, however, I daresay, no, I dare enquire, I must deem that you state your names, for if I ever have to curse your bones, and children to come, I shall have a name to say as I spat upon the ground. So, what say you? Do you dare enter my kingdom chasing stealth? Or will you make me go to immediate ends to punish you, much more severely for your insubordination?”
Piqui’s eyes had widened, and were mainly the only thing showing in the darkness, aside from the white’s of Gildarts’ own. Her fear had shattered all bounds, and she hid the best she could in his satchel, while the mage pronounced, “My name is Gildarts Clive, I do not know you, nor of you, or your kingdom, but I humbly request passage.”
“Gildarts Clive you say?” the voice seemed to dissolve into a small thunderous rumble, “And what be the creature that you are hiding, what is her name?”
“Piqui, we are both members of Ambrosia, I am trying to get to our leader, she is in danger and has lost an arm,” the Prime stated to the cloudy entity.
“Yes, yes, I know this, but you are mistaken, what is her name,” the accusation in the apparition's voice felt like it was pointing a finger right into his mind. Gildarts blinked, and his eyes fell down to Piqui, who’s nose poked out of the bag at the sound of her name. She couldn’t know, and yet, now, the truth seemed like the only option.
“And if I tell you, you won’t harm us?” Gildarts inquired with narrowed eyes, slits like a snake around his charcoal shadow.
“Yes, as long as you obey the laws of my land, which, as you may have guessed, require you to leave her behind. She slithers deception, and chains a man to hatred. I must have a promise of civility, and most of all, no death, as you pass through my land.”
The all mighty voice had spoken.
Upon being called, Gildarts could feel the Malefactor churn, as some parasite within his mind, as though the darkness that had come was calling to it for its own desires, yet, the Malefactor was a worm rooted deeply within his mind. It avoided the grasp of the nameless being, and Gildarts allowed it.
“You have my word I will not cause chaos, nor death, as I use your land to travel,” the mage stated sternly.
“But do I have hers?” the voice seemed to know much more than Gildarts, and yet, Piqui’s presence wouldn’t let Gildarts admit it.
Meanwhile, the cat growled, “I’m right here, and yes, I’ll promise! You already have my name, and can curse my children! Now just leave us alone! Gildarts, we can turn back, is Guu really in so much trouble that she needs this detour to save us two days?”
[i]Well Prime? What’ll it be, how are you going to get me to promise that? This shadow will know if you lie, for he knows nearly all. Trust me, he can’t hear me, but he will know. What’ll it be? Can I get an hour in your itty bitty meat-suit? Maybe you’d barter me down, like a good salesman, for ten minutes? Ahh I see that flinching doubt, because you know I only need one minute to break every bone in your body, as well as many bones in theirs. How important is this, Guu to you? Hahaha, that is what I like to see, that squirming within you, that deep contemplation of choice and deliberation. You forget to keep your guard up, and you let me sink my fangs right in. Don’t worry, call this an act of good faith, I’ll promise to be good in His land, for free, because when I’m free and you’re caged as I am, you’ll get no such promises.”
“Yes,” Gildarts acknowledged, the looming voice, and Piqui. “Yes, now we have to go.”
“Not so fast,” the voice growled, and grew closer, Gildarts stood face-to-face with the darkness, “The cat creature, send her home to Ambrosia. Let her be with the small girl. This is not a toll, as your promise, but a suggestion, for you, Gildarts Clive, know not what you are walking into, if it can take your leader’s arm, do not endanger your mortal pet on needless whims. Merely advice. You are free to go, Gildarts, but remember I remain here, for when you return.”
Oh? You’re going back home? What a good idea, I can’t wait to meet your family, those you hold near and dear, the juicy taste of your heartbreak when you watch through your own eyes as you kill them will just be so... De-lec-table...
Gildarts was not unnerved by this creature’s feeble threats, he’d had his share of fear his entire life, and yes, most of it was of himself. If anyone was strong enough to combat the sweet sickness of doubt and temptation, it was this mage.
What’s the matter? Still not talking? It’s awfully lonely up in this head of yours, and so very dull, empty rattling, that’s what you hear in here, and the echo of my voice, now, if you’d just fill it with a little thought, I could be entertained and grab some popcorn...
Ears poked out from Gildarts’ shoulder and perched upon his cape, she looked dusty, and no matter how much licking, the kitten couldn’t manage to get the smoky smudges from her pelt. “Gildarts, where are we going?”
Ah, a much needed distraction, you’ll need it too, I don’t have a mouth but I can surely pretend to make the sound you’ll hear of the cracking of this being’s little ne-
“We’re going to the Tangled Green, past Ambrosia, Princess Guu is in need of some help,” the Fairytail wizard’s gruff voice pronounced.
“Curt, as always, you know, you could live a little, and speak a little? Annd you must be telepathic, or you figured out how to email people, as if by some miracle,” the exceed pouted and looked around as they left the drab climate behind them, “At least we’re getting out of here, this is... One strange place we’ve ended up. We’re so far from home, I wake up in a desert, follow you to this giant forest, and then almost get eaten by a volcano dragon! GODS! It’s simply exhausting.”
Yess, do share those secrets that the mage has hidden and bottled up, key and lock. You know, Crash Magic Mage, I’m not so bad. I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot, I think you think all I want is death, but as I have said before, there’s something even better, so rich and fulfilling. Power. Death just happens to be a... Slight consequence. Death isn’t permanent you know, it is only a state of mind. Some people even choose to-
A simple flex of his eyebrow conveyed the Prime’s annoyance, yet, the malefactor sprang with glee, Ah, I knew i was getting through to you, see, we’ll get rid of the runt, and then we’ll-
He cleared his throat, “After spending so much time there, I’m very thirsty, all that smoke and ash, speaking of which,” he extended his organic hand and polished off a little soot from the cat’s ear, “You missed a spot.”
The exceed purred with delight, and smirked, “I’d help you, but you’re pretty much covered, your hair is even black, which looks kinnnnd of weird on you.”
Gildarts blinked, and then burst out in laughter, his back fell free in order to receive more air, and the joy bubbled up in his stomach and rolled off his tongue. It was a well-needed laugh, that lightened the mood, even while a dear friend could be in peril; the last thing on Gildarts’ mind was whether or not his hair looked good. It seemed to keep his demon at bay, for now.
The entrance to the wondrous forest was as grand as always, a single footstep bringing the mage one step closer to helping his guild’s leader, and suddenly, he was immersed in dense emerald green. The scent was thick and full of all sorts of lush life, pine lingered in one nostril and out the other, causing Gildarts’ noise to twitch and shiver.
“Oh boy,” she squeaked, “You aren’t going to sneeze, are you? I swear! Every time you come to this verse you-”
A loud, clamorous burst of air shook through the forest, silencing most creatures to a fearful look over their shoulder, all around that they could see, while birds and flying animals flocked to the skies, alerted and shaken by this surprised, unnatural occurrence.
“YIKES!” Piqui purred, “You should settle down and be a lumberjack, cause you’ll take down this whole forest with another one of those!”
The Prime sniffled and wiggled his nose once more, “Maybe it was the soot?”
“Doubt it, you’ve been covered in that for a couple of days, don’t you ever shower?” Piqui blinked, “Or do Primes not have to?”
Gildarts shrugged and raised an eyebrow, “I can’t take the time to shower if Guu is in a fight for her life, certain priorities must be upheld for the sake of comradeship.”
Yes, those priorities, go on, share.. The Malefactor reminded him it was still listening with the eerie slurp of her tongue, And while your at it, tell me, of what do you fear most? The death of your friends, or to become their murderer?
Gildarts refrained from cringing, but allowed himself a single gulp. His brown eyes showed no digression, nor hinted at weakness, yet behind the mask, the serpent continued to coil curiously around the subtle pings about his mind as a psychologist might find the deeply embedded quirks that assert to one’s developed habits and behavior.
Cute. the voice said with satisfaction, and let him be.
Piqui had been speaking for a long three minutes, on how a good shower had never hurt anyone, but had marveled in the fact that Gildarts’ legs kept moving so very sternly, over the lightly treaded path that wove throughout the woodlands.
“-And then, when you get wet, the water helps wash away the dirt! Especially with you humans, you don’t have such purrfect tongues as ours, which help us comb through our fur rather than wash a smooth surface like your nonexistent fur, better known as baldness.” It seemed she had concluded, or paused to catch her breath, and Gildarts gleaned away from her, slowing his stride.
“What? What is it?!” Piqui’s eyes darted around the forest, looking for the dark shadows within the corners, but seeking the truth only to make the doubts free.
Gildarts emanated silence, and it spread to her, and seemed to cast itself, spreading throughout the forest. The lull remained. The source of his alarm remain unearthed. Air seemed tight. Their lungs, tighter.
Hesitation, trepidation, came with no emancipation, creeping from the furthest points in the forest, with no source of origin, yet now, shadows as though cast by midnight, surrounded them. Gildarts let his eyes adjust, while Piqui shivered on his shoulder. The one thing the Prime had going for him, was his own camouflage, for he was covered in his own kind of black disguise.
A voice boomed, from overhead, echoing about the trees and rattling nearly every quivering leaf, “Who goes there?”
Piqui gulped, Gildarts didn’t hesitate, his lips parted, ready for a stern reply, until interrupted by the omnipresent voice again, “Just because I can’t see you, doesn’t mean I can’t smell you. There are two of you, one much taller than the other, yet both equal, despite a significance in age. You are a well known mage, and she, a little kitten who may as well be a stray. And a last being, one so evil it cannot form a shape, haunts you as a phantom in your mind. One, a mortal, the other, immortal, and the last, is something different altogether. Each of you have chosen the wrong path, for your goal is the Bog. Each of you are welcome in my kingdom, to take the shortest of cuts, however, I daresay, no, I dare enquire, I must deem that you state your names, for if I ever have to curse your bones, and children to come, I shall have a name to say as I spat upon the ground. So, what say you? Do you dare enter my kingdom chasing stealth? Or will you make me go to immediate ends to punish you, much more severely for your insubordination?”
Piqui’s eyes had widened, and were mainly the only thing showing in the darkness, aside from the white’s of Gildarts’ own. Her fear had shattered all bounds, and she hid the best she could in his satchel, while the mage pronounced, “My name is Gildarts Clive, I do not know you, nor of you, or your kingdom, but I humbly request passage.”
“Gildarts Clive you say?” the voice seemed to dissolve into a small thunderous rumble, “And what be the creature that you are hiding, what is her name?”
“Piqui, we are both members of Ambrosia, I am trying to get to our leader, she is in danger and has lost an arm,” the Prime stated to the cloudy entity.
“Yes, yes, I know this, but you are mistaken, what is her name,” the accusation in the apparition's voice felt like it was pointing a finger right into his mind. Gildarts blinked, and his eyes fell down to Piqui, who’s nose poked out of the bag at the sound of her name. She couldn’t know, and yet, now, the truth seemed like the only option.
“And if I tell you, you won’t harm us?” Gildarts inquired with narrowed eyes, slits like a snake around his charcoal shadow.
“Yes, as long as you obey the laws of my land, which, as you may have guessed, require you to leave her behind. She slithers deception, and chains a man to hatred. I must have a promise of civility, and most of all, no death, as you pass through my land.”
The all mighty voice had spoken.
Upon being called, Gildarts could feel the Malefactor churn, as some parasite within his mind, as though the darkness that had come was calling to it for its own desires, yet, the Malefactor was a worm rooted deeply within his mind. It avoided the grasp of the nameless being, and Gildarts allowed it.
“You have my word I will not cause chaos, nor death, as I use your land to travel,” the mage stated sternly.
“But do I have hers?” the voice seemed to know much more than Gildarts, and yet, Piqui’s presence wouldn’t let Gildarts admit it.
Meanwhile, the cat growled, “I’m right here, and yes, I’ll promise! You already have my name, and can curse my children! Now just leave us alone! Gildarts, we can turn back, is Guu really in so much trouble that she needs this detour to save us two days?”
[i]Well Prime? What’ll it be, how are you going to get me to promise that? This shadow will know if you lie, for he knows nearly all. Trust me, he can’t hear me, but he will know. What’ll it be? Can I get an hour in your itty bitty meat-suit? Maybe you’d barter me down, like a good salesman, for ten minutes? Ahh I see that flinching doubt, because you know I only need one minute to break every bone in your body, as well as many bones in theirs. How important is this, Guu to you? Hahaha, that is what I like to see, that squirming within you, that deep contemplation of choice and deliberation. You forget to keep your guard up, and you let me sink my fangs right in. Don’t worry, call this an act of good faith, I’ll promise to be good in His land, for free, because when I’m free and you’re caged as I am, you’ll get no such promises.”
“Yes,” Gildarts acknowledged, the looming voice, and Piqui. “Yes, now we have to go.”
“Not so fast,” the voice growled, and grew closer, Gildarts stood face-to-face with the darkness, “The cat creature, send her home to Ambrosia. Let her be with the small girl. This is not a toll, as your promise, but a suggestion, for you, Gildarts Clive, know not what you are walking into, if it can take your leader’s arm, do not endanger your mortal pet on needless whims. Merely advice. You are free to go, Gildarts, but remember I remain here, for when you return.”
![[Image: -Gildarts-fairy-tail-35651033-300-180.gif]](http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35600000/-Gildarts-fairy-tail-35651033-300-180.gif)
"I have never met a strong person with an easy past." -Atticus